Brake pad life monitoring has been implemented on vehicles in various ways. Some vehicles have mechanical sensors that provide an audible sound when the brake pad wears sufficiently that the sensor contacts the brake rotor. Some vehicles have an electronic sensor that provides a one-time signal when brake pad wear reaches a predetermined amount of wear, and may indicate this to a vehicle operator as a percentage remaining brake pad life in a vehicle information center accessible on the dash board or steering wheel. A more advanced wear life algorithm estimates brake pad wear based on an estimated rotor temperature correlated with typical driving conditions requiring relatively low braking energy.
Some vehicle owners occasionally or routinely exhibit aggressive, high energy braking behavior either on public roads or during race track maneuvering. Race track operation of a vehicle requires attention to brake pad wear, as brake pads may tend to wear more quickly under the relatively high speed maneuvering. Visually inspecting brake pads during race track sessions is inconvenient, as “pit stop” time is extended.